Julianna Margulies

Julianna Margulies arrives at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011 in Los Angeles. In addition to her own nomination for "The Good Wife," she presented the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy to Ty Burrell. She wore a strapless Giorgio Armani Prive gown, with a bustier decorated with clear oval stones and shimmery paillettes.
(Chris Pizzello / AP)
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Matt LeBlanc

Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy was an emotional winner for best actress in a comedy series for her role in "Mike & Molly." She designed her purple gown herself.
(Chris Pizzello / AP)
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John Krasinski, Emily Blunt

Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor

Now they work for him. His name is Charlie. From left, Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly and Rachael Taylor are the new stars of the remade "Charlie's Angels," which begins this fall.
(Chris Pizzello / AP)
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Katie Holmes

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow wore a belly-baring black-sequined gown by Emilio Pucci. She later said she didn't realize how sheer and see-through her outfit was until she arrived at the event.
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)
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Julie Bowen

"Modern Family" star Julie Bowen won the award for best supporting actress in a comedy series, and Ty Burrell, who plays her husband on the show, won as best supporting actor.
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Hugh Laurie

Elisabeth Moss

"Mad Men's" Elisabeth Moss was one of many Emmy attendees to choose a neutral gown color. She also appeared in the awards ceremony's opening skit, when host Jane Lynch burst in on a mock "Mad Men" meeting.
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There were no shrinking violets on the Emmy Awards red carpet Sunday night, with stars wearing bold red — from Lea Michele's dress to Christina Hendricks' lips — as well as strapless necklines and more than a little bit of glitter.

The early buzz was about Michele's sophisticated Marchesa dress: She had the look of a seasoned star instead of starlet. She wore a plain-front, low draped back with rosette sleeves that really let her work the crowd. She gave fans lined outside the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles a big wink.

There was some high fashion, too, including Julianna Margulies in a strapless Giorgio Armani Prive gown, with a stiff crescent-shaped bustier and embellished with clear oval stones and shimmery paillettes. Couture is a bit more of a risk and requires confidence. It's a good thing Margulies, who told E! she picked her dress late last night, has that.

Gwyneth Paltrow, in a black-sequin number by Emilio Pucci, also has the presence to pull off the belly baring look she was sporting, but the jury's still out on whether it was too see-through. She said she didn't realize just how sheer it was until she got there.

Some celebrities have been thinking about their outfits for weeks. Sarah Hyland collaborated with Christian Siriano to create her one-shoulder, coral-colored gown with a jeweled waistband. Heidi Klum trusted Siriano, a "Project Runway" alum, to come up with her mushroom-colored strapless gown with a pouffy, asymmetrical hemline.

But the electric blue that emerged as a runway trend for spring just last week in New York was well represented here. Claire Danes wore a fully beaded strapless gown in bright blue by Oscar de la Renta; Dianna Agron in a Roksanda Ilincic; and Amy Poehler in a T-shirt-style iridescent dress by Peter Som.

Two "Mad Men" sirens opted for sexy, beaded, head-turning looks, with Elisabeth Moss in a second-skin Marchesa and Christina Hendricks in a Johanna Johannsson with an open V-neck. "It was the only dress. I tried it on and it was perfect."

Video: Red carpet recap: Who wore it best?

Closed captioning of: Red carpet recap: Who wore it best?

>>>the fashions on display at last night's
emmy awards
. who impressed on the
red carpet
and who came up short. lloyd boston of "the style checklist" is with us and jill martin is a "u.s. weekly" contributor so thank you first of all both of you for that.

>>great to be back.

>>one of the headlines, there was a lot of red on the
red carpet
.

>>it's a smart choice. i mean you have to be a powerful woman to pull it off and i think if you don't come with that kind of confidence it may not work so
kate winslet
we saw in a gorgeous red gown. carrie washington looked amazing. simple jewelry. looks like it's growing but if you have curves like sofia ha, that's a great choice.

>>a body skimming, a marquesa.

>>she plays a teen sometimes and a woman other times but knows how to straddle the fence.

>>she was the hit of the night and makes everybody's
hit list
. look at this. it's just beautiful and knows how to work the
red carpet
. it's the cowl neck. one of the only ones in marquesa. she looked fabulous and one of the only ones that will make everyone --

>>great entrance and great exit.

>>what about the aforementioned of sophia have v.r

>>look at her in
vera wang
. about her jewelry, do you like them? they're huge. those earrings, i mean she always has so much fun on the
red carpet
. she could look beautiful in anything. i think she worked it.

>>notice the earrings don't match the dress. a lot would go matchy-matchy. i love the latin flair.

>>good sense of humor it's great.

>>let's talk about
julianna margulies
. how are we going to do there?

>>you're shaking your head already.

>>the positive first. i thought the shape was beautiful.

>>all right.

>>i didn't like the embellishments. sort of those big teardrop armani preve.

>>judy jetson
called and wants her dress back. look at this dress. she's never -- she's always on my
hit list
. this is armani and she chose it the night before at
9:00 p.m
. she did a collection for
lady gaga
. maybe it was in that. i'm just saying i always think she's beautiful and a hit but that dress did not work on her body.

>>she looks better than i could look in any dress but
gwyneth paltrow
, what do you think?

>>i love gwyneth because she thumbs her nose to the
red carpet
these days. always been a risk taker. she's showing full mid riff. looked a lot better in person i have to tell you because it's sexy and knows her lines but i also think she doesn't like to play into the current trends. she follows her own --

>>are we seeing like she's wearing --

>>is that see through and her legs on her.

>>sheer illusion.

>>she said when she was on the
red carpet
, i think this is really see-through. i don't think she realized how see-through it was.

>>oh, come on.

>>with her stomach exposed -- she usually is fabulous.

>>i don't know how you get on the
red carpet
without knowing. what about
heidi klum
.

>>i wasn't digging it. i tell you why i wasn't digging it because i think heidi always looks best in something more classic. you know, she's giving one of her former contestants a nod, christian seriano. in classic shape she always looks stronger. the woman i know as a model.

>>you're not even done with the list. we have to go. you had so much to say. we have to bring you guys back on later. we'll talk to lloyd boston and jill martin. i'm sure many, many times about